A Consortium made up of units from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is formed to study hearing in both basic and clinical aspects. Investigations are conducted on lizards, cats, and humans. Basic studies are being conducted on sound transmission in the middle ear, transduction in the inner ear, and activity in the auditory nervous system. Clinical studies are aimed at developing better diagnostic criteria and surgical procedures.